Lena Dunham Releases Official Statement On Sexual Abuse Accusations: ‘I Do Not Condone Any Kind Of Abuse’
Lena Dunham, creator and star of the hit HBO show Girls, was recently accused of sexually assaulting her younger sister when they were both little girls. After the release of Dunham’s memoir Not That Kind of Girl, writer for the National Review Kevin D. Williamson pointed out several passages which depict Lena taking advantage of her sister sexually, posting the excerpts and making some harsh claims about her character:
“Dunham writes of casually masturbating while in bed next to her younger sister,” says Williamson, “of bribing her with ‘three pieces of candy if I could kiss her on the lips for five seconds… anything a sexual predator might do to woo a small suburban girl I was trying.'”
Since then, Lena Dunham has responded in a self-named “rage spiral” on Twitter. But now Lena Dunham is speaking out in defense of her childhood self with an official rage-free statement exclusively for Time.
“I am dismayed over the recent interpretation of events described in my book Not That Kind of Girl. First and foremost, I want to be very clear that I do not condone any kind of abuse under any circumstances.”
Lena tried to clarify via Twitter that her decision to reveal her so-called sexual abuse in her memoir was not a confession of guilt but simply the description of the life of a “weird 7 year old.” But even with Lena’s responses, some believe feminists and anti-abuse activists are finally turning against Dunham, who is usually perceived as an advocate against these kinds of crimes. For example, when the Fappening occurred (the massive leak of nude celebrity photos), Lena Dunham spoke out against internet users viewing the nudes of Jennifer Lawrence and other actors, claiming that doing so was violating the women “again and again.” Now Dunham has found herself on the other side of the spectrum, having to speak up for the bizarre, predatory antics of a much younger Lena.
“Childhood sexual abuse is a life-shattering event for so many, and I have been vocal about the rights of survivors,” Dunham goes on in her statement. “If the situations described in my book have been painful or triggering for people to read, I am sorry, as that was never my intention. I am also aware that the comic use of the term ‘sexual predator’ was insensitive, and I’m sorry for that as well. As for my sibling, Grace, she is my best friend, and anything I have written about her has been published with her approval.”
What do you think about Lena Dunham’s statement? Do you think Lena should admit to the sexual abuse or do you think Lena should be absolved of any guilt since she was only seven years old when it happened?
